Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane assay

Commonly used acronym: CAM assay

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Scope of the method

The Method relates to
  • Animal health
  • Human health
The Method is situated in
  • Basic Research
Type of method
  • In vitro - Ex vivo
This method makes use of
  • Animal derived cells / tissues / organs
Species from which cells/tissues/organs are derived
Chicken embryo
Type of cells/tissues/organs
Chorioallantoic membrane

Description

Method keywords
  • in ovo
  • chorioallantoic membrane
  • CAM
  • Embryonic development
  • chicken embryo
  • fertilized chicken egg
Scientific area keywords
  • vascular research
  • biomedical research
  • pharmacology
  • angiogenesis
  • Developmental biology
Method description

The Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay is a versatile, cost-effective in ovo model using the vascular-rich membrane of fertilized chicken eggs to study biological processes such as angiogenesis, tumor growth, metastasis, and drug testing. Its transparency and rapid vascularization make it ideal for the evaluation of vascular responses. Widely used in cancer research, pharmacology, and tissue engineering, the CAM assay serves as an ethical and efficient alternative to traditional animal models, offering high-throughput testing in a controlled embryonic environment. For further information, please contact Prof. dr. Annelies Bronckaers (annelies.bronckaers@uhasselt.be) at the Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED) of Hasselt University.

Lab equipment
  • - Egg incubator (temperature and humidity control),
  • - Camera/microscope.
Method status
  • History of use
  • Published in peer reviewed journal

Pros, cons & Future potential

Advantages
  • - Low-cost assay,
  • - Rapid growth,
  • - Ethical alternative to animal models, 
  • - High-throughput screening,
  • - Transparent membrane.
Challenges
  • - Limited Immunological Context,
  • - Short Experimental Window,
  • - Egg variability.

References, associated documents and other information

References

Ratajczak J, Hilkens P, Gervois P, Wolfs E, Jacobs R, Lambrichts I, Bronckaers A. Angiogenic Capacity of Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells Pretreated with Deferoxamine and/or Fibroblast Growth Factor-2. PLoS One. 2016 Dec 9;11(12):e0167807. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0167807. PMID: 27936076; PMCID: PMC5147980.

Merckx G, Hosseinkhani B, Kuypers S, Deville S, Irobi J, Nelissen I, Michiels L, Lambrichts I, Bronckaers A. Angiogenic Effects of Human Dental Pulp and Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells and their Extracellular Vesicles. Cells. 2020 Jan 28;9(2):312. doi: 10.3390/cells9020312. PMID: 32012900; PMCID: PMC7072370.

Contact person

Lotte Alders

Organisations

University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Laboratory for research in ischemic stroke, stem cells & angiogenesis (LISSA)
Laboratory for research in ischemic stroke, stem cells & angiogenesis (LISSA)
Belgium
Flemish Region